Kids: Why You Should Talk to Your Kids About Purity

In my opinion, we don't talk to kids early enough or often enough about purity.

I think most parents desire purity for their kids. They just don't consider how to lead their kids to desire purity.

It's easy to confuse purity with abstinence.

And yet there is a big difference between purity and abstinence. If you abstain fromsex, it doesn't necessarily mean you value purity. It just means you've done a good job waiting. Purity involves more than simply refraining from sex. Purity involves protecting more than just the physical body but protecting the mind and heart as well.

Television, billboards, music, movies, bathroom stalls, the school bus—the list is interesting and more extensive than my naivete cares to go. But clearly we don't have to go far to acknowledge that the purity of our kids is at stake. The consistent barrage of sexual content is inescapable. I can limit my son's television consumption, blindfold him when we drive down the road and never lead him across the threshold of Abercrombie & Fitch, and I still won't get away from the prevalence of sexual innuendos.

Can I be really honest here?

Just a few weeks ago, I made a joke around a group of other adults. In an effort to be funny, I completely failed to remember the teens present. Oh. My. Word. I walked away completely ashamed of how I redirected their thoughts to someplace they didn't need to be any time soon.

Our kids will confront sexual content on many different levels as they engage with society. Learning how to maintain purity today is a survival skill that lays a foundation for a healthy marriage in the future.

Kyle and I started talking to our son, Keegan, about purity when he was 8 years old. I'm having similar conversations with our daughter, Josie, now. Each are learning that we cannot always control what people put on a billboard, but we can control whether or not we look at it. And we need to be wise about what we look at.

The more we broach the subject and the more honest we are with them, the more they trust us to ask frank questions. And that's where we want to be.

So, if you're waiting until your child starts dating before you talk about purity, consider sowing that seed today. Purity is a skill that takes time to hone. Give them every advantage to excel in this.

Gina McClain 

Crispy Garlic Chicken and Spinach Egg Rolls with Gouda Cheese

Crispy Garlic Chicken and Spinach Egg Rolls with Gouda Cheese, Served with Roasted Red Pepper Salsa for Dipping

Yield: Makes about 20

Ingredients:

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, minced very finely
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Peanut or canola oil, plus more for frying
• 2 cups fresh, baby spinach leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoons chopped, flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons water
• 10 egg roll (or “spring roll”) skins, cut in half on the bias to create 20 triangles (*see note below)
• 1 ¼ cup grated gouda cheese
• Roasted Red Pepper Salsa (recipe below)

(*The skins purchased from an Asian market are the best for these, as they are very thin and yield a really crispy result; you can find them in the refrigerated section, and the size is about 8×8, or a large square. But if you don’t have an Asian market nearby, you can typically find skins at your local grocery store in the refrigerated section where they keep the tofu and fresh ramen noodles, etc.)

TIP: These are perfect made the day before, and placed on a parchment-lined baking sheet then wrapped tightly with plastic wrap so they don’t dry out, and kept in the fridge overnight; then, just fry when you’re ready to serve!

Preparation:

-Add your minced chicken to a medium-size bowl, and to it add the 2 garlic cloves and a couple of good pinches of salt and black pepper; toss to coat.

-Place a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, and drizzle in a little of the oil; once the pan is hot, add in the chicken and saute until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes; using a slotted spoon, scoop the chicken out of the pan, leaving the juices behind, and spoon into a paper towel-lined plate or bowl to cool completely.

-Once the minced chicken has completely cooled, add it to a large bowl; then add in the chopped spinach, parsley, cilantro, parmesan and the pinch of red pepper flakes, plus a tiny drizzle of oil, and mix to combine well; taste to check if any additional salt or pepper is needed.

-Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and set it nearby.

-Whisk together the cornstarch and the water to create a slurry, as you will use this to seal your egg rolls closed; set aside.

-To roll your egg rolls, take a triangle (half of an egg roll skin) and place it in front of you with the point facing upward.

-Place 2 tablespoons of your chicken filling in the center along the bottom part of your triangle, and shape it into a log shape; sprinkle about a teaspoon or so of the cheese over that.

-Next, fold the bottom left corner toward the center, then the right corner, making what looks like a little envelope; then, roll upwards as tightly as you can, and tuck as you go (try not to leave any air gaps or bubbles,); then dab the top corner with a little cornstarch slurry and seal.

-Place the egg rolls on the parchment-lined baking sheet, keeping them covered with a piece of plastic wrap so they don’t dry out, and repeat until all are rolled.

-Heat about 3 cups of the oil in a small pot or sauce pan, and bring up to 350°; then, carefully add about 3 egg rolls at a time to the hot oil, and fry for about 4 minutes; drain on a wire rack to maintain crispness.

-Serve while hot with chilled Roasted Red Pepper Salsa.

Roasted Red Pepper Salsa Ingredients:

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can organic diced and fire-roasted tomatoes
• ¼ cup roughly chopped roasted red peppers (good quality, from a jar)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 1 tablespoon cilantro
• Salt

Preparation:

-Place all ingredients up to and including the cilantro into the bowl of a food processor, and add in a couple of good pinches of salt; process until smooth, then check to see if any additional salt is needed.

-Serve chilled or room temp.

By Ingrid Beer

Home is home....

Home is where you are welcome and accepted in spite of all your inadequacies. When you have been on a long journey, all you want to do is to return home. Depending on how long you have had to wait before the return, the vivid picture of what home looks like is starting to faint. You need to make a conscious effort to remind yourself what the front door, the trees, the bus-stops look like.

Imagine being away for 5 long years..... even the memory of names will be faint.

With the uncertainty in life, most warriors fear as they leave their families. They have one big worry, WILL I EVER RETURN?

They behave as though every day is the last day, they hold and love as though that will be the last.

Whilst they are away fighting, with the oppressors closing in daily, the likelihood of being free again seem more and more distant.

They are preoccupied with fear more than faith.

Most of the times, they are already abandoned and they are treated as the victims who suffer , so that their country may experience peace, their blood is the peace offering that their land needs.

There are many battles that we fight, as Christian women, most of these seem like there is no hope in sight.

At times, when you are waiting for a husband, the MARRIED YOU, with a lovely husband and happy children is not a vision that you see....because its so far fetched.

As a waiting mum, its difficult to envision you in the labour ward and you bringing your baby out wrapped in your embrace.

As a professional, having written the same exam again and again and you now face an ultimatum, YOU DONT SEE A RETURN... It seem so far away.

Whatever you state today and whatever it is that has kept you in the far far away land for so long, that you now see deliverance as an unlikely event, God says to tell you.....YOU SHALL RETURN.

Isaiah 51:11-15 says
And the ransomed of the Lord shall return
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain gladness and joy,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
12 “I, I am he who comforts you;
who are you that you are afraid of man who dies,
of the son of man who is made like grass,
13 and have forgotten the Lord, your Maker,
who stretched out the heavens
and laid the foundations of the earth,
and you fear continually all the day
because of the wrath of the oppressor,
when he sets himself to destroy?
And where is the wrath of the oppressor?
14 He who is bowed down shall speedily be released;
he shall not die and go down to the pit,
neither shall his bread be lacking.
15 I am the Lord your God,
who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
the Lord of hosts is his name.

The sound of RETURN HOME....is one that the solder at war waits for day in, day out.....Its soothing, its a sound of joy.
You may not know when , and you may not know how, but He who made you says to tell you that
YOU WILL RETURN......
YOU WILL RETURN WITH REJOICING.

There is a kind of rejoicing that makes you forget the pains of your long journey. You will not be able to recollect how long you had to wait. It will be like a cloud that disappears, when you shall return. The journey , for you may have been several years, but the lord says in verse 14.....HE WHO IS BOWED SHALL SPEEDILY BE RELEASED.

Sisters/brothers, can I encourage your heart this new week, God is still in the business of organising memorable returns. He will do it in a way that you will forget all the pains of the times you spent lonely and longing on the war front...

He will replace your sighing and sorrow with gladness and joy. You shall return

By sister bola.

SAY "YES LORD"

But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." Luke 5: 5

When Peter said "yes" to Jesus' request to get into his boat, and after on to cast his net for a catch, the future apostle's plans and life were irrevocably changed.

The following three benefits Peter received for his obedience to the Lord will be yours when you also walk in obedience to Him:

• Moment of obedience as Peter's destiny was revealed to him. After Jesus had filled the empty nets with an enormous catch, He transformed Peter into a "fisher of men".

The Lord said to him, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men". Peter's life mission was made known to him through obedience.

• Obeying God allows Him to demonstrate His power in our life. Peter witnessed the miracle catch of fish that started with a "yes" to a simple request.

He could have said that would be a waste of time and effort, since they had toil all night without a catch. Instead, he took the Lord at His word and saw the power of God at work.

• Obedience always results in a deeper understanding of God and of ourselves. Having seen the miracle of the full nets, Peter gained fresh insight into who Jesus was and how he, Peter, was a sinful man.

Later on when Jesus asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I am?" Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven".

It was at that moment of obedience, I believe, Peter had this glorious revelation of Jesus of Nazareth.

Prayer: Lord, give a heart that is always obedient to Your Word.

Scriptural Reading: Luke 5:1-11

ACCEPT GOD'S SOLUTION

And when he had consulted with the people, appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: "Praise the LORD, for His mercy endures forever." - 2 Chronicles 20:21

Christians almost universally agree, "God answers prayer." But many people, if they were honest, would amend the phrase to say, "The Lord answers most prayers, but not mine."

A believer can fervently call upon God without receiving what he considers a satisfactory answer. The stumbling block isn't God's unwillingness or inability to respond, but rather our unwilling to accept His solution.

If we come to God with a pre-conceived idea of how to solve our problem, we will likely overlook His true solution.

Suppose King Jehoshaphat had decided that God could answer his prayer only by giving the army extra strength for the forthcoming skirmish. He would have called a war council, arrayed his soldiers in armour, and set up battle lines.

God's solution was entirely unexpected: First, send the choirs out singing praises, then watch the Lord save Israel. If Jehoshaphat's soldiers had attempted combat, they would have lost Jerusalem.

Sometimes we don't like God's solution. We desire freedom from physical pain rather than an extra measure of grace to endure the hurt.

Or we want a new job, not a command to seek the boss' forgiveness for our poor attitude.

In essence, we want the Lord to fix everything without requiring any effort from us. But our willingness to obey is key to answered prayer.

When He tells us how to resolve our problem, we must act just as He specifies, or we will never experience victory.

Prayer: Father, all Your ways are perfect. Show me Your ways.

Scriptural Reading: 2 Chronicles 20:14-25

Prayer for new week

Your little efforts will produce great results. You will change position this year. You will move out of the class of 'the rest' into the class of 'the best'. You will come out 'better' and not bitter. Wherever your helpers are, they will locate you.  God will preserve and keep you and your loved ones from evil, accidents, tragedy and calamity. 

The Lord is your refuge and your fortress, so you shall not be moved; sorrow and tears shall not be your portion. As the Lord showed favor to Joseph and promoted him in the middle of famine and economic predicaments; so shall you be highly favored even in the midst of tough economic situations and chaos around you.

Happy New Week from us ASB-World. 

The 4 Prophetic Words That Will Inspire Your Prayer Life

Sometimes you pray and you wonder if God is even hearing you. You grow weary in waiting for the answers to your prayers. I've been there. I get it.

But God does hear your prayers. In fact, He loves to hear you pray and wants you to keep crying out. I believe these four prophetic utterances the Holy Spirit shared with me will inspire your prayer life.

1. I Love to Hear You Pray

I love to hear your voice in prayer every morning when you awake. It's one of My favorite parts of the day. When you awake and begin declaring your love for Us, it moves Our heart. When you inquire of Me, it is My pleasure to answer. When you speak to My heart, it is My joy to speak back to yours. I hear your voice even when the hectic pace of life makes it difficult for you to hear Mine. So keep lifting your voice to Father in prayer. Keep telling Me about your struggles, fears, dreams and victories. I'm listening.

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 63:1; Psalm 27:4; Psalm 34:15

PRAYER: Remind me to begin each day praising Your name and lifting up my petitions to Father's throne—and help me, because I do not know how to pray as I ought. I trust in You to help me touch Father's heart in prayer.

2. Keep Crying Out

Sometimes when you stand up for what is right, people around you will call you a fanatic and say you are overreacting. But truth is truth, and you are called to proclaim it. Sometimes when you pursue Jesus with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul and all your strength, people will say you are too fervent. But fire is fire. Remember blind Bartimaeus! He needed a touch from Jesus, so instead of remaining silent when the Messiah went by, he cried out to Him. The people around him told him to quiet his mouth, but he cried out all the more. Don't stop crying out for truth. Don't stop crying out for a touch from Jesus. Don't let anyone put out your fire. We love it!

SCRIPTURE: Luke 10:27; John 14:6; Mark 10:46-52

PRAYER: I want to burn and shine for You even when people don't understand my love for You. Help me to share Your heart with the people around me so they can know You the way I do and burn and shine with me.

3. You Can Tell Me Anything

You can trust Me. I am your Confidant. I am your Counselor. You can tell Me anything. Share your God-given dreams with Me, and I will help you bring them to pass. Share your fears with Me, and I will help you overcome them. Share your prayers with Me, and I will help you lift them to Father. You can trust Me. Seeing you walk in everything Jesus has for you—helping you reach your destiny in Christ—is part of My mission. I am on your side! I am for you, not against you.

SCRIPTURE: John 14:26; Romans 8:26; Romans 8:31

PRAYER: I need Your help more than I realized. Please hear my heart and help me to lean and depend on You as the Lover of my soul. Deliver me from evil, and help me become all Jesus died and rose again for me to be. Help me to trust You more.

4. I Can Do More Than You Can Imagine

Take the limits off. Do you realize that the power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead dwells in you? Do you know that I am able to do more—much, much more—for you than you can ever imagine? Do you know that I want to? Will you believe in Me the way I believe in you? Take the limits off! Dream with Me! Let your eyes see, your ears hear and your heart dwell on what I have prepared for the one I love. Your best is yet to come. Only believe.

SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 1:19-20; Ephesians 3:20; 1 Corinthians 2:9

PRAYER: Your promises are glorious, and I want to walk in every one of them. I want to see things the way You see them. Reveal to me the things You have prepared for me in love. Stir my heart to follow You toward Your perfect will.

Jennifer LeClaire